Vampire squid have eight arms but lack feeding tentacles (like octopods), and instead use two retractile filaments in order to capture food. These filaments have small hairs on them, made …

It sits alone in phylum Mollusca as the only living member of the family Vampyroteuthidae. In fact, the vampire squid has a history of misclassification. When it was discovered in 1903, it was …

Its scientific name, Vampyroteuthis infernalis, literally means “vampire squid of Hell”! While it does not suck blood like its mythical namesake, the vampire squid is a “living relic” that evolved …

Dec 1, 2025 · Scientists have sequenced the genome of the elusive “vampire squid from hell” for the first time, providing insights into the origin of cephalopods like octopuses.

Vampire squid have black chromatophores interspersed with reddish-brown ones. They do not function like the chromatophores in true squid because this species does not have the …

The vampire squid is a fascinating twig tenaciously hanging onto the cephalopod family tree. It's neither a squid nor an octopus (nor a vampire), but rather the last, lone remnant of an ancient …

This “vampire” is a harmless scavenger. Marine snow is on the menu for this cephalopod. Two thin, sticky tentacles collect drifting bits of dead plankton, poop, mucus, and other organic …

With a scientific name that means "the vampire squid from hell," you'd expect the vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis) to be a fearsome predator terrorizing the deep.

Dec 20, 2025 · The vampire octopus is a unique cephalopod known for its striking appearance and fascinating behaviors. These deep-sea creatures, often misunderstood, captivate the …

Despite its evocative name, the Vampire Squid is neither a true squid nor a true octopus. It occupies its own unique taxonomic order, Vampyromorphida, making it a distinct and ancient …